Umbrella tip cup

ABSTRACT

An improved umbrella rib tip cup and guide sleeve are disclosed. The tip cup has an inner bore defining an annular surface positioned to slide axially along the guide sleeve, which in turn fits over the umbrella pole adjacent the handle. On the inner surface of the sleeve and in contact with the pole are a series of longitudinal spacer ribs, and on the outside of the sleeve circumferentially spaced from the inner ribs are a series of longitudinally extending ribs which define an interference fit with the inner annulus of the tip cup. The peripheral spacing of the inner and outer sleeve ribs and the interference fit between the tip cup and the outer sleeve ribs cause the sleeve to act as a deformable spring in resilient engagement with the tip cup, providing an easily slidable tip cup which locks in either open or closed position and does not tend to cant or jam during operation.

United States Patent 1 Waltz UMBRELLA TIP CUP [75] Inventor: H. Franklin Waltz, Toledo, Ohio [73] Assignee: Haas-Jordan Company, Toledo,

Ohio

[22] Filed. June 14, 1974 [21] Appl. No: 479,466

[52] US. Cl. 135/44; 403/298; 403/359;

403/372 [51] Int. Cl A45b 25/00 [58] Field of Search l35/36 RT, 37, 44, 48;

[ 51 May 13, 1975 Primary ExaminerRichard J. Scanlan, Jr. Assistant ExaminerConrad L. Berman Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Owen & Owen Co.

[57] ABSTRACT An improved umbrella rib tip cup and guide sleeve are disclosed. The tip cup has an inner bore defining an annular surface positioned to slide axially along the guide sleeve, which in turn fits over the umbrella pole adjacent the handle. On the inner surface of the sleeve and in contact with the pole are a series of longitudinal spacer ribs, and on the outside of the sleeve circumferentially spaced from the inner ribs are a series of longitudinally extending ribs which define an interference fit with the inner annulus of the tip cup. The peripheral spacing of the inner and outer sleeve ribs and the interference fit between the tip cup and the outer sleeve ribs cause the sleeve to act as a deformable spring in resilient engagement with the tip cup, providing aneasily slidable tip cup which locks in either open or closed position and does not tend to cant or jam during operation.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures UMBRELLA TIP CUP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to umbrella construction, and more particularly to an improved tip cup and support sleeve structure.

Tip cups are included on umbrellas to retain the collapsed umbrella ribs rogether adjacent the pole prior to application of a circumferential strap which tightly contains the collapsed umbrella cover fabric and support ribs about the pole. The cups are generally slidable so that they can be pushed downward for opening and closing of the umbrella, a sleeve being provided on the pole for the concentrically disposed tip cup to slide upon. Generally the umbrella tip cup and sleeve are of metal, with the inner annular surface of the tip cup fitting fairly closely over the sleeve so that the tip cup will not be freely movable along the sleeve without friction.

Even though these metal parts are usually plated, they tend to corrode and rust with age. This deterioration is accelerated by the repeated frictional sliding of the cup along the sleeve, which tends to wear away the plating. Such a frictional fit can also result in canting and jamming of the tip cup along the support sleeve as the cup is pushed up or down. Rust, of course, further aggravates this condition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an improved umbrella tip cup and support sleeve wherein the support sleeve, through a plurality of spaced, longitudinally extending outer ribs, exerts an even outward springing action on the inner annular surface of the tip cup, helping to prevent canting or jamming of the tip cup and resulting in a smooth and even sliding action. The cup and sleeve are preferably made of a plastic such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) so that rust and corrosion cannot occur. Also, the resilient quality of the plastic is used advantageously as will be seen below.

The support or guide sleeve of the invention includes two sets of projecting ribs, one on its inner surface and the other on its outer surface. The inner ribs are peripherally spaced or staggered from the outer so that they act as spacers holding the inner annulus of the sleeve away from the umbrella pole while the outer ribs re ceive the inner annulus of the tip cup in an interference fit. That is, the inner annulus of the tip cup is slightly smaller than the diameter defined by the outer ribs of the guide sleeve. The two sets of ribs provide for a resilient distortion of the support of guide sleeve between the inner annulus of the tip cup and the outer surface of the pole as the tip cup is moved along the sleeve. The inner annulus of the tip cup preferably defines a short cylindrical surface concentric and parallel with the sleeve surface, so that the tip cup is maintained in proper alignment as it travels along the outer ribs of the sleeve.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the length of the outer ribs on the support or guide sleeve is such that they extend to a position somewhat short of the lower end of the sleeve, so that the tip cup is freed from the influence of the ribs as it reaches the lower end of the sleeve and thus tends to remain in position while it is not being used. The spacing ribs n the inner surface of the sleeve preferably extend to a position just short of the upper end of the sleeve. This provides for a tendency of the tip cup to remain in its upper position after having been moved to that position because of the extra resistance of the tip cup to slide over the portion of the sleeve having the inner spacing ribs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lower end of a closed umbrella employing the apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the tip cup and sleeve of the invention shown removed from an umbrella;

FIG. 3 is an end view of the guide sleeve of the invention, showing the umbrella pole and the tip cup in phantom; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. 1 shows the lower end of a closed umbrella 10 having a handle 11 mounted on a central 12. A piece of collapsed sheltering fabric 13 and its supporting ribs 14 are tightly bound about the pole by a circular band 16. On the pole 12 above the handle 11 is a cylindrical sleeve 17 on which slides a rib tip cup 18 which is used to retain tips 15 of the support ribs 14 together adjacent the pole 12 while the band 16 is being applied.

FIG. 2 shows the support or guide sleeve 17 and the tip cup 18 removed from the umbrella 10. The tip cup 18 includes a tip-engaging annular flange 20 and an inner annular flange 21. At the upper end of the sleeve 17 is a small radially disposed annular flange 19 which provides a stop for the annular flange 21 on the tip cup 18. The sleeve flange 19 must be kept small so that it does not appreciably stiffen that end of the sleeve 17, for reasons which will be discussed below.

The guide sleeve 17 includes a plurality of spaced, longitudinally extending inner ribs 22 on its inner surface 23, as well as a plurality of similar ribs 24 on its outer surface 26. The inner ribs 22 and outer ribs 24 are staggered or peripherally spaced preferably at equal distances. Their arrangement is best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIGS. 3 and 4 indicate the relative positions of the umbrella pole 12, the guide sleeve 17 including inner ribs 22 and outer ribs 24, and the tip cup 18 which slides upon the ribs 24. As FIG. 3 indicates, the guide sleeve 17 fits on the pole 12 with its inner ribs substantially in contact with the pole 12. The outer ribs 24, equal in number and spaced between pairs of inner ribs 22, define an undistorted diameter which is slightly larger than the inner annular surface of the annular flange 21 on the tip cup 18. FIGS. 3 and 4, which show the tip cup 18 in phantom, indicate its lower position out of engagement with the ribs 24. It is easily seen that as the tip cup 18 is pushed upward on the sleeve 17 (to the left in FIG. 4), it will engage the ribs 24 in an interference fit, thereby slightly squeezing inward the ribs 24 and adjacent portions of the sleeve 17, slightly distorting the sleeve 17. The inner spacing ribs 22 of the sleeve 17 act to brace the adjacent portions of the sleeve 17 against the pole 12, thus guiding the sleeve 17 into a symmetrical distortion. Since the cup 18 and sleeve 17 are made from a flexible elastic material such as the plastic acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), a spring action is exerted outwardly by the outer sleeve ribs 24 against the annular flange 21 of the tip cup 18.

3 When the tip cup 18 is slid downward out of engagement with the ribs 24 (to the right in FIG. 4), the guide sleeve 17 will again spring back substantially to its previous circular shape.

As indicated in FIG. 4, the outer ribs 24 of the support or guide sleeve 17 extend downward from the flange 19 to a position somewhat short of the lower end of the sleeve 17. This allows the tip cup 18 to disengage in its lower position and reside there loosely while not in use.

As also indicated in FIG. 4, the inner spacing ribs 22 of the sleeve 17 do not extend the full length of the sleeve 17. Instead, the ribs 22 extend from the lower end of the sleeve 17 to a position somewhat short of the upper end thereof. These ribs do not extend the full length to the top of the spacer 17 because the annular ring 19 at the upper end of the sleeve adds a degree of rigidity and resistance to distortion at that end of the sleeve 17. Thus, the ribs 22 are discontinued to allow the sleeve 17 to distort as freely as possible at its upper end under the influence of the tip cup 18. The absence of the distortion-guiding ribs 22 in this area helps compensate for the added rigidity due to the flange 19.

Another effect of the rib configuration shown in FIG. 4, i.e. the length of the ribs 22, is the tendency of the tip cup 18, when pushed into its engaged position fully against the ring flange 19, to remain in such position until given a substantial urge downward. This effect is due to the fact that the area between the upper ends of the inner ribs 22 and the ring flange 19 is one of lower rigidity than the area over the ribs 22, so that when the tip cup 18 is near the flange 19, extra downward urging is required to slide it back down into the area over the ribs 22. The effect is desirable in that it provides a sort of locking means for keeping the cup 18 in its engaged position.

The above-described preferred embodiment provides and umbrella tip cup assembly which is simple and economical to manufacture and which has a smooth, easy and dependable sliding action not found in prior art tip cup assemblies. Various other embodiments and alterations to this preferred embodiment will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an umbrella having a central pole, collapsible over material and a plurality of support ribs depending from the upper part of the pole, such support ribs having tips at their lower ends which, in the closed configuration of the umbrella, conjoin together about the pole, the improvement comprising an annular tip cup and an annular cup-supporting sleeve concentrically positioned on thepole adjacent the rib tips, said tip cup having an outer tip-engaging annular flange and a central bore defining an inner annulus, said support sleeve having means superimposed on its outer surface for slidably receiving the inner annulus of said tip cup in an interference fit when said tip cup is moved axially upward in concentric relationship over said support sleeve to engage the rib tips, and spacer means on its inner surface, peripherally spaced from said superimposed outer sleeve means, for engaging the pole and maintaining a spacing between the pole and the inner annulus of the sleeve when said tip cup is received by said superimposed outer sleeve means in such interference fit, whereby upon receiving said tip cup, said support sleeve is deflected by inward pressure on said superimposed outer surface means and exerts an outward pressure on the inner annulus of said tip cup.

2. The umbrella apparatus of claim 1 wherein said spacer means on the inner surface of said sleeve comprises longitudinally extending ribs on said surface positioned for contact with the pole.

3. The umbrella apparatus .of claim 2 wherein said longitudinal ribs extend approximately from the lower end of said sleeve to a position short of the upper end of said sleeve, whereby said inner annulus of said tip cup, when moved axially upward along said support sleeve to a position beyond the ends of said longitudinal r1bs,'tends to offer resistance against downward movement from such position.

4. The umbrella apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inner annulus of said cup comprises a cylindrical surface generally parallel and.concentric with said support sleeve.

5. The umbrella apparatus of claim 1 wherein said outer sleeve means comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending ribs on said outer surface.

6. The umbrella apparatus of claim 5 wherein said outer surface ribs extend from approximately the upper end of said support sleeve to a position short of the lower end of said support sleeve.

UNITED STATES PA ENT OFFICE, 8 CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Q- 3.882.880 D t Mav 13,1975

7 Invent ofl s) H Franklin Waltz Q It is certified that errer appeats in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby correetedas 'shown below:

In the specification:

g'Column 2, line 21, after central insert ----po] .e---.

Column 3, line 38-, "and", first occujt rence, should be --an--.

In the claims:

Claim 15 Column 4, line I, "oven" shou l d be c0vner---.

gignc dand Scaled this twenty-second Of July 1975 [SEAL] v Arrest:

um c. MASON Commissioner of Parent: and Trademarks 

1. In an umbrella having a central pole, collapsible over material and a plurality of support ribs depending from the upper part of the pole, such support ribs having tips at their lower ends which, in the closed configuration of the umbrella, conjoin together about the pole, the improvement comprising an annular tip cup and an annular cup-supporting sleeve concentrically positioned on the pole adjacent the rib tips, said tip cup having an outer tip-engaging annular flange and a central bore defining an inner annulus, said support sleeve having means superimposed on its outer surface for slidably receiving the inner annulus of said tip cup in an interference fit when said tip cup is moved axially upward in concentric relationship over said support sleeve to engage the rib tips, and spacer means on its inner surface, peripherally spaced from said superimposed outer sleeve means, for engaging the pole and maintaining a spacing between the pole and the inner annulus of the sleeve when said tip cup is received by said superimposed outer sleeve means in such interference fit, whereby upon receiving said tip cup, said support sleeve is deflected by inward pressure on said superimposed outer surface means and exerts an outward pressure on the inner annulus of said tip cup.
 2. The umbrella apparatus of claim 1 wherein said spacer means on the inner surface of said sleeve comprises longitudinally extending ribs on said surface positioned for contact with the pole.
 3. The umbrella apparatus of claim 2 wherein said longitudinal ribs extend approXimately from the lower end of said sleeve to a position short of the upper end of said sleeve, whereby said inner annulus of said tip cup, when moved axially upward along said support sleeve to a position beyond the ends of said longitudinal ribs, tends to offer resistance against downward movement from such position.
 4. The umbrella apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inner annulus of said cup comprises a cylindrical surface generally parallel and concentric with said support sleeve.
 5. The umbrella apparatus of claim 1 wherein said outer sleeve means comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending ribs on said outer surface.
 6. The umbrella apparatus of claim 5 wherein said outer surface ribs extend from approximately the upper end of said support sleeve to a position short of the lower end of said support sleeve. 